Book Review: Twitter Marketing Unlocked by Angela Hemans

In August I wrote about “#EditorsFiguringOut … A Social Media Marketing Schedule.” Here is a continuation of that topic on more specific level, with a review of Angela Heman’s Twitter Marketing Unlocked. Since Twitter is my primary business social platform (followed by LinkedIn) – and as I was already trying to expand my social media presence – Hemans’ new book was a timely and welcome find. At 101 pages, Twitter Marketing Unlocked is a quick but information-packed read. A social media marketing manager and brand consultant who is an expert in digital engagement and (unsurprisingly) Twitter marketing, Hemans (2018) orients the reader from the get-go:

Twitter is a social network. In order for it to work for your business or organization, you have to go with the intention of being social (p. 12).

Being social. Seems obvious, right? But this critical point is one Twitter neophytes often miss. Posting and running without follow-up conversations wastes valuable business time and misses opportunities to grow your business peer / client community. Through Twitter Marketing Unlocked, Hemans offers the reader a teaching tool, the written equivalent of an in-person or online course in strategic Twitter marketing. Accordingly, the text’s seventeen chapters are is separated into five “modules”:

Creating the Foundation

Getting Acquainted with Your Potential Community and Learning About Twitter

Creating a Super-Simple Strategy

Using Technology: Twitter Tools and Resources

Protect Ya Neck

Hemans offers more than just exposition and pointers; the book contains plenty of exercises with which readers can focus and refine their Twitter tactics. For example, there is a terrific activity in Chapter 4: Identifying Your Ideal Audience which asks, “How Do I Choose the Right Audience?” (Hemans, 2018, p. 28). Here are my own answers to this exercise:

~Who have you worked for in the past that you wouldn’t mind continue working for? Going back about twenty years, a supervisor who became a true mentor, and who also valued my opinion and work. With this person’s encouragement, I stopped thinking about getting a master’s in communications and actually completed the degree.

~Am I ready to work with B2B clients or larger organizations? Both. I can tailor my editing and copywriting services to a wide range of client projects / needs, for solopreneurs, small businesses, and larger companies.

~What type of people do you work with and interact with the best? Those who value what an editor / copywriter does (i.e. edit / copyedit, write / copywrite, proofread, evaluate), are open to constructive criticism of their project, and want to improve their work overall. Conversely, it’s also helpful to identify clients I would not work with: those who think plagiarism is no big deal; who want something for nothing (i.e. “Can you just give this brochure a quick look?”); an author whose manuscript is obviously incomplete and / or in need of developmental editing (work which I would refer out to an editor specializing in that area).

~Do you have an ideal location for your best clients? (This is especially important if you are a local business!) As a freelancer, my business is flexible. In fact, about 75 percent is remote.

~What are the specific challenges you can solve for your potential clients? Resolving problems with their written copy, including: grammar; style; cohesiveness; clarity; flow. I also help tighten the copy and focus the writer’s thoughts. Note how the answers zero in on the audience(s) on whom I should concentrate messaging.

The upshot here is that knowing who your target audience is will help you not only to craft messages to reach those individuals, but also to understand who to reach out to in the first place (i.e. people who either needing editing / copywriting services or might share out about my business). Hemans ranges far and wide, touching on many salient themes regarding Twitter marketing. Below is a sampling of the wisdom she imparts:

Still having a difficult time trying to connect with your potential community? Look towards your industry competitors. Who are they following and who is following them? There is always some organization that has been on Twitter longer and have already built up their online Twitter community. Don’t feel bad for trying to connect with their followers (Hemans, 2018, p. 31).

Save your commonly search items (CSI) on Twitter. If you are looking for business leads, referral partners, Twitter chats, or keywords, then this is the way to go. Use this feature so you don’t have to spend time fighting with autocorrect on your phone or desktop (Hemans, 2018, p. 53).

Networks like Facebook and LinkedIn allow you to connect your Twitter account within their own profile settings. Don’t miss out on these simple opportunities to share your Twitter info plus add a few layers to your online reputation (Hemans, 2018, p. 90).

If Twitter marketing and visibility is a priority for your business – editing, copywriting or other industry – this is the book to read, right now. Hemans (2018) says it best (italics my emphasis):

Are you trying to grow your brand influence, business, product, app, or service visibility? Then you will want to have a public and active Twitter account. There is just no way around it. You need this especially in 2018. You don’t exist if someone cannot find you on Twitter (p. 91-92).